Ji Fei was startled and immediately pushed Qin Xian's shoulder, laughing awkwardly, “No, no, it’s just a slight sprain. It’s not serious and will be fine in a bit. I know what I’m doing.”

Qin Xian frowned, ready to scold Ji Fei for being too careless with her body.

*Oh dear, one lie really does need a hundred more to cover it up.*

Qin Xian froze for a moment and looked at Ji Fei, who indeed appeared a little uncomfortable.

Letting her push him away, Qin Xian relented, “Are you sure you’re really okay?”

Ji Fei forced a sheepish grin, “I’m fine.”

*I jumped down myself, so how could I be hurt?*

Qin Xian quickly realized what had happened and looked at Ji Fei, both exasperated and amused. But he decided not to expose her.

Then, recalling Qin Father’s response earlier, he couldn’t help but sigh and ask, “Why are you alone? Where is everyone else?”

Ji Fei found it odd too. Just a while ago, Qin Father and Qin Mother had taken everyone to watch the performance by the stage. 

She had thought at least Xiaotao would stay to accompany her, the “injured” one, but even she was pulled away by Qin Rong. In the end, she was left alone to enjoy the drama.

Ji Fei didn’t mind though.

After explaining this to Qin Xian, she noticed a peculiar expression cross his face before he helplessly pulled a chair over to sit beside her.

“Are you sure you don’t need to go to the hospital? Even minor pain should be treated with medicinal alcohol.”

The stage was a meter high; jumping down could easily result in an unnoticed injury.

Ji Fei insisted she didn’t need to go. Just then, her phone vibrated again.

“Are you busy? Am I keeping you from your work?” Ji Fei asked.

Ever since Qin Xian’s arm had healed, he’d resumed his usual hectic schedule. Knowing he had rushed here because of her mishap made Ji Fei feel guilty.

“It’s fine,” Qin Xian said nonchalantly as he took out his phone.

He hadn’t checked it while driving here at top speed.

Answering the call, he wasn’t surprised by the nature of it, as he had already received several similar calls back at the office.

Ji Fei seemed to catch a bit about Qin Zhao and performances from the other end of the line and looked over curiously. It appeared that her and Qin Zhao’s actions had indeed caused some trouble.

Qin Xian glanced at Ji Fei, then replied in a calm tone, “Of course my wife and my brother know what they’re doing. I have no objections to that. If someone gets hurt, they should reflect on their actions. What does that have to do with my wife or my brother? Yes, I fully support them.”

The person on the other end seemed taken aback, remaining silent for a while. Qin Xian, maintaining his manners, politely bid them farewell.

When he looked up, he found Ji Fei staring at him with eyes shining brightly. Qin Xian’s heart softened, and his expression turned gentle.

“Did you enjoy tonight?” he asked.

Ji Fei couldn’t contain her excitement and began sharing all the gossip, with Qin Xian listening attentively as always.

“Look, look at how well Yu Rouyin is performing! Can you believe this is just from ten minutes of looking at the script? And look at the live broadcast comments! Haha, it’s killing me—I can almost picture everyone’s jaws dropping at their screens.”

Qin Xian chuckled indulgently and leaned closer to watch the live broadcast on Ji Fei’s screen. “She’s a professional. It seems your studio will have a new star performer.”

“But Sister Pei is still a little worried...”

…

At that moment, Yu Rouyin was portraying a nervous, inexperienced company rookie. Despite her seductive appearance and curvaceous figure, her earnest expression, clear eyes, and slightly awkward body language perfectly conveyed an air of innocence.

In that instant, even the men couldn’t look at her with lustful eyes; instead, they saw her as a junior colleague or schoolmate.

The youthful energy of a recent graduate came through vividly.

This scene alone left netizens stunned, as if they were seeing Yu Rouyin for the first time.

Most of them were accustomed to seeing Yu Rouyin play femme fatales who brought kingdoms to ruin, roles that showcased her unmatched beauty. No director had ever given her the opportunity to play different types of characters, so they didn’t know she could transform so seamlessly into someone completely new.

Qin Zhao and the other supporting actors had prepared for all sorts of emergency scenarios to cover for her. But from the start of the performance, Yu Rouyin barely missed a line. Even when there were deviations, they didn’t change the meaning at all.

Her performance was flawless, as if she had been rehearsing with them all along.

Qin Zhao felt a rare ease acting alongside her, without any hiccups. Just as she had promised, he only needed to focus on his part.

In the first act, Yu Rouyin had to clarify details over the phone with her boss, played by Qin Zhao, while nervously preparing for an important contract discussion during a business trip.

The audience saw Yu Rouyin anxiously making the call, fearing any mistakes in the details.

Qin Zhao, lounging on a bed on stage in a flamboyant robe and holding a phone, said, “I can’t explain over the phone. Come to my room so we can go over it properly.”

“Huh?” Yu Rouyin’s expression showed clear surprise and indecision. Logically, she knew this was improper, but she felt conflicted because it was a request from her superior.

“Finish quickly, so there are no errors at work tomorrow. Otherwise…” His tone carried the pressure of authority.

Yu Rouyin portrayed the rookie’s naivety and helplessness, venturing to the room on impulse.

When she arrived and saw Qin Zhao’s appearance, she felt awkward, keeping her distance and immediately bringing up the contract. However, Qin Zhao gestured, “Bring it here so I can take a look.”

Seeing his serious expression, Yu Rouyin cautiously approached, only for Qin Zhao to pull her onto the bed, saying, “Sit down and look at it with me!”

Startled, Yu Rouyin jumped up, but Qin Zhao’s tugging and her reaction of indignation masked as professionalism created a moment that felt violating.

Barely maintaining her composure, Yu Rouyin managed to leave with her dignity intact, only to have her exit seen by colleagues.

Back at the office, a furious woman stormed up to her, immediately slapping her. “You shameless vixen, using work as an excuse to sneak into my husband’s room and seduce him!”

Yu Rouyin was left stunned, surrounded by a crowd whispering about her.

All she could do was cover her ears, whispering, “I didn’t… I didn’t… I’m the victim here, I am…”

She finally screamed, her frustration halting time. In this moment, she lashed back at the woman and struck the superior.

“He’s the one who used his power to oppress me, to take advantage of me. Why don’t you condemn him for his disgraceful behavior? Why do you bully me? Is it because of my looks? Because I’m a woman and an easy target? You’re all blind, twisting the truth, smearing my name…”

Panting, her voice raw, Yu Rouyin trembled, embodying a newcomer suffering from injustice, yet it felt as if she was purging years of pent-up grievances.

“You want to crush me into the dirt? I won’t let you win!”

Her eyes, red and fierce, seemed on the brink of shedding bloody tears. Yet no tear fell. The silent sobs resonated with a haunting power, surpassing any previous performance on that stage, even shocking the director and producer.

Even after slapping back and avenging herself, the lingering pain enveloped the audience, making them clench their fists in shared outrage.

The live broadcast chat was in an uproar.

Hordes of paid trolls assigned to spread negativity were completely drowned out by viewers' awe and praise for the performance.

In a hospital room, several medical staff, familiar with Yu Rouyin and knowing her decency despite not being privy to her personal life, watched the broadcast with a patient. They were surprised by the news of an important premiere and decided to join in.

Seeing Yu Rouyin’s completely different performance, someone muttered, “And they said she could only act with her looks? What nonsense.”

As they watched, movement came from the hospital bed. Turning, they saw Grandma Yu, eyes full of tears but with a joyful smile, shakily pointing at the screen. She whispered with pride, “That’s my granddaughter. My granddaughter… is the best.”